Weather Report: Tom Skilling 7-Day Forecast WGN-TV Weather Center

Ask Tom Why

February 26, 2006|By Tom Skilling

Dear Tom,

What is the most and least snowfall here from March 1st onward in any given year?

Nick Recchia, River Grove

Dear Nick,

Chicagoans start thinking "spring" when the calendar flips into March, and not without reason: March 1, after all, is the official beginning of meteorological spring (although astronomical spring does not begin until the vernal equinox on the 20th).

In an average year, Chicago receives 8.4 inches of snow in the spring (March-May), but the city's variable weather often ignores climatological averages. In 121 years of snowfall records dating from 1885, Chicago received less than an inch of spring snow (March 1 onward) in nine years and no measurable snow (0.1") in one year: 1994.

Six spring seasons were especially snowy: more than 20". The snowiest: 29.7" in 1926.

----------

Tom Skilling is chief meteorologist at WGN-TV. His forecasts can be seen Monday through Friday on WGN-TV News at noon and 9 p.m.